Steering gear



H. W. PIERCE STEERING GEAR Oct. l0, 1950 w Filed March 4, 1947 INVENTOR.2% m Ca/mmow, fza/m vau.

A i'ormeys ,f //V, I wA w n 2 2/ W 5 VQ 2 .2 1// .,4/\ WMZ/.74 /KW MMQ`OW Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,525,244)`STEERING .GEAR

Harry W. Pierce, Collingswood, N. J. Application March 4, 1947, serialNo. 732,209

(o1. nii- 155) 7 Claims. 1 This invention relates to gearing fortransmitting the movements of an actuating or driving member to a memberto be actuated or driven and particularly to the provision of means insuch gearing for selecting a reversible or nonv reversible gear train asmay be desired. The iiivention is especially advantageous for steeringmechanisms of boats and will be so described hereinafter but it will beunderstood that it is not restricted to this particular application.

In the steering of boats and particularly in the steering of sail boatsand ,auxiliaries it is frequently desirable to know the forces being exertedupon the rudder to determined whether the adjustment of the sailsis such as to bring the I'boat into balance. In the case of the usualtiller nisms it is possib`e for the helmsman to feel the forces actingupon the rudder. The presentA invention provides a novel steeringmechanism which provides all the advantages of both the :3D

tiller and the non-reversing gear steering mechanisms now in use.

It is accordinglv an object of this invention to provide novel actuatingor driving means between an actuating'member such as a wheel or helm`and an actuated member such as a rudder,

Asaid means comprising a plurality of gear trains one of which isreversible or reactive on the actuating member and another beingnon-reversible, either of said gear trains being available at theselection of the operator. y

Another object is to provide a novel steering mechanism for boats whichembodies the above means so that the helmsmanv may readily judge theforces'acting ulpon the rudder by selection of the reversible gear trainand thereafter may change to the non-reversible gear train without lossof control of the rudder during the change. Other and further objects ofthis invention will appear as the description thereof proceeds.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention,but it is to be eX- pressly understood that this embodimentV is by Vwayof illustration only and is notto be construed as a limitation of theinvention, reference.

smaller classes of boats, and with such mecha- 1925 being had to theappended claims for this purpose.

In the drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a View vfrom above of an embodiment of the inventioncomprising a boat steering mechanism having two synchronously drivengear trains and a clutch for selecting one or the other of such trains;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a partial view of a modication of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

In the several gures, I0 is a suitable frame for supporting the several'elements of this embodiment of my invention. Frame I Il may be securedtothe wheel box or other Vparts of the boat as by lags II or by othersuitable means and provides the lower supporting parts I2, I3, I4 and I5of four horizontal bearings and a vertical bearing I6. The fourhorizontal bearings are completed by bearing caps I1, I8, I9 and Z whichare suitably securedtoframe I!) as by bolts 2l.

Mounted in vertical bearing I6 is rudder post 22 carrying rudder 23 andreduced at 24 to t into a suitable bearing carried at the heel of thedeadwood and not here shown as it is not pertinent to the presentinvention, The upper end of rudder post 22 above bearing I5 is keyed at25 to worm gear 26 which forms part of a non-re'- versible gear trainfor driving the rudder.

Bearings I4 and vI 5 support a stub shaft 2l upon which is mounted worm2B for engagement with worm gear '26. The teethof worm gear 26 and thelthread of worm 28 have a clearance onthe .order of .010 for reasonswhich will more fully 'appear hereafter. The thread angle and pitch ofthe wormand worm gear are chosen to provide aself-locking,non-reversible vdrive. Hence the rudder. 23 can be shifted in eitherdirection when stub shaft 2l is rotated by gear 29, but forces on therudder will not drive back through the worm gear androtate the stubshaft. g

Bearings I2 and I3 suprport the steering shaft 3l! which is rotated byany suitable steering device such Vas wheel 3l securedv to its outerend. Rotation of shaft 30 is transmitted to gear 23 by means of gear 32secured to the inner end of shaft 3U as by key 33. A collar 34 securedto shaft `30 abuts frame I0 to prevent movement of the shaft and gear 32toward worm gear 26, and

3 hub 36 being supported in bearing |2. A collar 38 secured to hub 36prevents movement of gear 35 along shaft 30 to the left by abutmentagainst frame Il), and shoulder 39 formed by the reduced hub 36 preventsmovement of gear 35 in the opposite direction also by abutment againstframe I0.

Suitable means are provided for clutching the gear 35 to the shaft 30when desired. In the form shown, the end of hub 36 is notched at 40 toreceive an engaging dog 4| of..clutch sleeve 42. Sleeve 42 is mountedfor movement along shaft 3D and rotates therewith by reason of lkeys 43set into shaft 3|] and engaging longitudinal keyways 44 formedinternally of sleeve 42. is secured to shaftv 38 to limit movement ofsleeve 42 away from gear 35 but is so positioned that dog 4| can becompletely disengaged from notch 40 as shown in the drawings. Whenclutch sleeve 42 is advanced to engage the clutch, however, shaft 3Udrives gear 35 which in turn drives a bevel gear sector 46 secured torudder post 22 as by key 41. This gear train is reversible or reactivebetween wheel 3| and rudder 23. VThe ratios of the several gears are sochosen that bevel gear 35 is driven from the rudder post at the samespeed as shaft 30 when the clutch is disengaged.

When installing the gear mechanism, rudder 23 is .brought to amidshipsposition and sector 46 is rotated about rudder post 22 until equalportions thereof extend on each side of bevel gear 35. Key 41 is thensecured in place to lock sector 46 and rudder post 22 together. Wormgear 26 is then rotated on rudder post 22 until there is equal clearancebetween its teeth and the worm thread on each side and is then securedin place.

With the apparatus set up and adjusted as above described let it beassumed that the boat is underway with sail set and the helmsman desiresto determine the balance of the boat. The helmsman then slides 4clutchsleeve 42 to the left to engage the clutch dogs 4| in the notches 40 ofbevel gear 35. Movement of steering wheel 3| is then transmitted toshaft 30, sleeve 42, gear 35,

sector 46 and rudder post 22 to rudder 1.23, and conversely any forcesacting upon rudder 23 are directly transmitted back through the samegear train to wheel 3|. The amount of pull trans,- mitted from rudder 23to wheel 3| indicates to the helmsman the forces acting on rudder 23 andthe adjustment of the sails which is required to counter them. Anyrotation of shaft 3D, either by wheel 3| or by forces acting on rudder23, also rotates gears 32 and 29, shaft 21 and worm 28, but rotation ofthe rudder post l22 causes worm gear 26 to rotate simultaneously so thatthis gear train idles and offers no resisance to the action of therudder 23 upon steering wheel 3| The clearance n the order of .010"between the teeth of worm 28 and the thread of worm gear 26 is sufcientto allow for play in gears 32 and 29.

When the sails have been suitably adjusted to counterbalance forcesacting upon rudder 23," or when it is desired to steer with anon-reversing steering mechanism, clutch sleeve 42 is moved to the rightto disengage the clutch. Bevel gear 35 then idles upon shaft 3D andmovement of steering wheel 3| is transmitted through shaft 30, gears 32and 29, shaft 21, worm 28 and worm gear 26 to rudder post 22 and rudder23, giving the desired non-reversing steering action. Any rotation ofrudder post 22 also rotates sector 46 which in turn rotates bevel gear35 freely upon shaft 30. As pointed out above, the ratios of the Acollar 45 4 several gears are so chosen that gear rotates at the samespeed as shaft 30 and thus the notches are always maintained inalignment with the clutch dogs 4|, permitting transfer from one geartrain to the other without loss of control of the rudder.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, worm 28 is provided with aleft-hand thread and worm gear 26 is also left-handed so that thedirection of rudder movement in relation to rotation of steering .wheel3| may be that now in common usage. If a right-handed worm 28 and wormgear 26 be used, an idler gear must be interposed between gears 32 and29 to maintain the same relation of movement between rudder and steeringwheel. A suitable arrangement for this idler gear is showndiagrammatically in Fig. 3 in which idler gear 50 is mounted upon ashaft 5| to engage gears 32 and 29.

It will now be apparent that by the present invention I'have provided anovel apparatus adapted for use as a steering mechanism for boats inwhich the gear trains may be readily changed by the user, without lossof control of the driven member, from a train permitting evolution ofthe forces resisting movement of the driven member to a non-reversinggear train and vice versa.

Changes 0r modifications of the above described illustrative embodimentof my invention may now be suggested to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from my inventive concept. For example clutch sleeve 42 may beprovided with mechanical or electrical remote control actuating meanswhen steering is by remote control and various gear trains may beemployed to meet the requirements of the various classes of boats.Reference shouldtherefore be had to the appended claims to determine thescope of this invention.

What is Aclaimed is:

1. In apparatus of the classdescribed, means for transmitting rotarymotion from a driving member to a member to'be driven including reactiveand nonreactive transmissions, said means comprising rotatable drivingand driven members, nonreversible gearing connecting the driving memberwith the driven member, reversible gearing for connecting the drivingmember with the driven member, and clutch means for connecting thedriving member with said reversible gearing, the gear ratios between thedriving and driven members being the same for both the nonreversible andthe vreversible gearing, said nonreversible gearing including meansproviding lost motion between the driving and driven mernbers wherebyreaction is transmitted' from the driving member through said reversiblegearing and clutchineans to the driving member and to said nonreversiblegearing.

2. Apparatus as dened in claim l, said clutch means comprising a clutchmember connected to said reversible gearing and rotatable relative tothe driving member, and a clutch memberv rotatable with, the drivingmember and movable into engagement with said first clutch member.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim ,1, said nonreversible gearingincluding a worm and worm wheel with clearance between the teeth of theworm wheel and the thread of the worm to provide said lost motion.

4. In boat steering apparatus, a rudder, a steering shaft and a handsteering wheel thereon, and means for transmitting rotation of thesteering shaft to the rudder including reactive and nonreactivetransmissions, said means comprising nonreversible gearing connectingthe steering shaft with the rudder, reversible gearing for connectingthe steering shaft with the rudder, and clutch means for connecting thesteering shaft with the reversible gearing, the gear ratios between thesteering shaft of the rudder being the same for both the reversible andthe nonreversible gearing, said nonreversible gearing including meansproviding lost motion between the steering shaft `and rudder wherebyreaction is transmitted from the rudder through the reversible gearingand clutch means to the steering shaft and wheel and to thenonreversible gearing.

5. An apparatus as dened in claim 4, said clutch member connected to thereversible gearing and rotatably mounted on the steering shaft, and aclutch member rotatable with the steering shaft and longitudinallymovable thereon into engagement with the rst clutch member.

6. Apparatus as dened in claim 5, said reversible gearing comprising atoothed sector rotatable with the rudder and spur gearing meshing withsaid sector and including a pinion ro- REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 21,210 Morley Aug. 17, 1858197,874 Manton Dec. 4, 1877 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1 4,477Great Britain fFeb. 22, 1902 18,390 Great Britain Aug. 14, 1907 PatentNo. 2,525,240

Certificate of Correction october 10,1950

HARRY W. PIERCE the printed Specification of the It is hereby oertiedthat error appears in above numbered patent requiring correction asfollows:

Column l, line 26, Jfor the Word possible read impossible;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of January, A. D. 1951.

so that the THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Pate/nts.

